Learning to Survive
by Robot.In.Disguise
Summary: Ponyboy's POV - starts a few months after their parents die. Mostly my goal was to go into detaill on events mentioned in the book, but there are non-related bits too. Random things I found funny that I threw in. rock'n'roll.
1. Wake Up Call

"Ponyboy Curtis!"  
  
I had barely opened my eyes, just in time to see my big brothers flying towards my bed. I yelled and scrambled to get my legs untangled from my blankets. In bed was NOT where I wanted to be when they landed. I succeeded. Kinda. I wasn't on the bed but I really hadn't escaped either. I had tumbled off the bed with my legs still tangled in the blankets. I stared up at my two brothers standing over me.   
  
"Well, well, well," Darry laughed. "He tries to escape the inevitable and just make it easier for us!"  
  
"Yeah, now we dont have to hold his legs down!" Soda agreed.   
  
They dropped to the floor next to me. Darry grabbed my arms and held my wrists together, over my head. Soda sat on my stomach and starting digging his fingers in between my ribs and into my armpits. I started swearing at both of them but Soda only tickled me hard. After a few minutes they traded places and Darry sat on my stomach. They tickled me and tickled me until I couldn't hardly breath.   
  
"Serves you right for trying to stay in bed so late," Soda grinned.  
  
This game of Tickle-Pony-Until-He-Gasps-For-Air is a favorite in my family. Dad used to help them tickle me and I would have to scream for Mom to save me. Before they died... I pushed the memory out of my head. I couldn't make it through the day if I spent too much time thinking about it. They had only been gone since the second of May. It's August now, and school's starting in a week, so at least I'll have homework to occupy my mind.   
  
Darry rocked back on his heels and looked me over. "Whelp, Ponyboy, we already ate all the food, but you can take care of the dishes if you want." He winked at me.  
  
"Aw, Darry!" I groaned.  
  
"Hey, kid, those're the rules. You said they were o.k. when we were talking about it. Soda's gotta help, anyway."  
  
The Rules were that whoever got up first in the morning made breakfast for everyone, and the other two got to wash the dishes.   
  
Soda helped me unwrap the blankets from my legs. "I'll make you some eggs if you want," he offered.  
  
"Yeah, that'd be good. With toast."  
  
I followed Soda to the kitchen. Darry was in the living room buttoning his shirt. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone get up from the couch and stagger into the kitchen.  
  
"Hey Steve, what are you doing here?" I still wasn't completely used to finding people besides my brothers in the house. Steve is Soda's best friend.  
  
"My old man. You know how he is. Hey, Soda, make me some eggs too? Scrambled.. the normal color ok?"   
  
Soda grinned at him. "Man, you're boring."  
  
Darry strapped his toolbelt around his waist and opened the front door. "See y'all later. Stay out of trouble, got it?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," I replied.  
  
Soda and Steve paused their game of Who-Punches-Hardest for a brief second. "Hey Darry, me and Steve are going to the DX later to look for jobs, OK?" He turned to look at me, "You wanna come, Pony?"  
  
Steve slugged Soda in the arm and glared at me. If looks could kill..   
  
I stared back, eyes widening. I'm only 14 but I'm not stupid. "Naw, Soda, me and Johnny are probably gonna go swimming or something."  
  
"Tuff enough. Tell him I said hey."  
  
I ate breakfast at the table while listening to Soda and Steve talk about their girls. 


	2. Dropping Out

Later that afternoon, Johnny and I came back to the house after swimming. We had forgotten to bring towels with us to the pool so we were dripping all over the floor. For half a minute, I expected Mom to come running out of the kitchen, trying to swat me with a dishtowel. "Oh yeah," I thought glumly. Mom wasn't there, but Darry was.   
  
"Hey, Johnnycake. Pony, do you gotta soak the carpet? Go dry off."  
  
I stared at Darry for a minute. He'd been in a neverending bad mood since Mom and Dad died. "Sorry, Darry." I went to the bathroom and grabbed a couple of towels for Johnny and myself. We opened the door to go on the porch to dry off, and ran smack into Soda and Steve. They had just then ran up to the door, and were now fighting to see who could get through first. Steve slipped through, barely, and took a nosedive. Soda yelled excitedly and jumped over Steve's head.  
  
"I can't believe it!" Steve yelled.  
  
"So fuckin' tuff, huh Stevie!" Soda whooped.  
  
"You better watch your mouth, little buddy," Darry said  
  
"Hey Dare, what are you doing home so early?" Soda asked, running to the kitchen table.  
  
He looked up from the papers he held in his hands. "Checkin' the bills. I'm thinking about getting a 2nd job. I don't know how we're going to pay off all these debts otherwise."  
  
"Well, then you'll be thrilled to know that both me and Steve here got a job today!"  
  
"Oh yeah? What's that?"  
  
"We're gonna work over at the DX. Steve's gonna go part time after school starts, and I'm going full time now."  
  
Darry glanced sharply up at Soda. "Full time, Soda? What about school?"  
  
"I ain't going." Soda looked at Darry defiantly, chin up and eyes gleaming. My jaw dropped. "I'm gonna drop out. My grades are horrible and they ain't gonna get better, especially now... I want to help out, anyway."  
  
"Hey, can I drop out too, Darry?" I piped up. His response was a glare.  
  
"You're not even old enough to get a job, Pony!" Steve snapped.  
  
I gave him a look and headed for the door to go smoke. Darry didn't like me smoking, but he let me after Mom and Dad died because I was so tense.  
  
"I don't know about this, Soda..." Darry asked.   
  
"My mind's not changing."  
  
Steve broke out laughing "Mind snot.." I started laughing too, when I saw Johnny staring at Steve like he was from Mars. 


	3. School

"GAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ice ice ice ice ice ice cooooooooold. I jumped out of bed and dumped the ice cubes out of my shirt as quickly as I could. "Oh my gosh, cold," I yelped.  
  
Laughter. Wait, I know that laughter. I spun around to see Soda and Steve doubled over. Soda was laughing so hard his face was red and he was silently shaking. Steve slapped me hard on the back, laughing about how that was the best they'd gotten me in a long time. Wonderful Steve. "What gives," I asked them.   
  
Darry stuck his head around the corner. "Time for school, kiddo."   
  
I groaned inwardly. Second week of school, and I'm still not used to it. I tested out of 9th grade last year, before Mom & Dad died, so this year I'm a sophomore at Nathan Hale High School. I guess this is what it feels like when you transfer to a new school in a new town. I've seen some of these kids around town, but I don't really know any of them. I've got Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve to talk to, so I guess I'll survive. Oh, and Dally, if he ever feels like showing up.  
  
I took a quick shower and greased my hair up. I hear Soda announce that he was driving and couldn't help but grin. We could leave 5 minutes before last bell and I'd still make it to class on time.   
  
The hours dragged by. We were having a test in English today. Mr. Symes' not bad, he used to be a drama teacher so he likes to try to get us involved in everything. It feels like kindergarten sometimes. Like last week. He had us listen to some recording of a story while our eyes were closed, and then afterwards we were supposed to draw a picture of some part of it. Kiddie stuff, you know? Well, he had put me in the back of the room, so I had leaned my head against the wall while I was listening to it, and I kinda fell asleep. I couldn't help it, I was tired and the story was boring. He was sorta angry about that. So anyway, today we were having some test.   
  
I stopped for a minute to stare around the room and try to ease my boredom. I was tapping my pencil eraser on my desk when I glanced over at Two-Bit. Anyway, he caught me looking over and suddenly grinned. I watched him kick off his shoes, stand up, take off his jeans, and sit back down in his boxers. That's all he did. He just went back to working on his test.  
  
"Two-Bit," Mr. Symes said sternly. Two-Bit looked up at him innocently.   
  
"Yessir?"  
  
"Put your pants on, Two-Bit."  
  
He pointed down at his lap. "But these're my lucky boxers, sir."  
  
Mr. Syme's covered his eyes. "Two-Bit, now."  
  
He just shrugged, stood up and put his pants back on, and went back to working on his test. I was trying to keep my laughter in the entire time. Most of the class had their mouths hanging open, and some of the girls just looked really embarrassed. I bet Soda would have stayed in school to see that, I thought.  
  
History class was bad, but it was the last class before lunch. Johnny and me sit right next to each other so if nothing else we can at least pass a few notes. I came in a few minutes late, I had gotten held up by a couple making out at my locker. No joke, right up against it. I walked over to my desk and dumped my books on the floor and slumped down in my chair, hoping Mr. Davis wouldn't notice I came in late. He just raised an eyebrow at me and continued his lecture. World War 2, of course, his favorite subject. War and politics. I'd rather hear about why different groups of people act the way they do, like treat us like dirt just because we weren't fortunate enough to be born into rich families. I glanced over at Johnny. He grinned at me and his bangs disappeared under his eyebrows. "He's extra-boring today," he whispered to me. I just laughed. Johnny went back to focusing on the hole he was drilling into the top of his desk with a dart.   
  
"Hey, what are we doing at lunch?" I whispered to him.  
  
He shrugged again, still watching his dart, "I dunno. Probably swing by the DX with Steve & Two-Bit." We never ate in the cafeteria. We had tried that once, and the Socs wouldn't leave us alone long enough to get our food down.   
  
After class, we met up with Two-Bit.  
  
"Hey y'all, going to see Soda? Steve already took off, I'm guessing we'll find him there. Poor guy can't stand to stay away from work!"   
  
When we got to the DX, Soda was just finishing filling up some old lady's car, and then he and Steve ran up to us.  
  
"Hey, Two-Bit, remember that one blonde broad that Soda picked up last week, the real good lookin' one?" Steve asked  
  
"She ain't a broad, Steve," Soda interrupted.  
  
"Yeah, what, she wants my number, well, tell her its 627.." Two-Bit answered, started to scribble his phone number on a scrap piece of paper.  
  
"Whatever, Two-Bit. Na, Sodypop here called her up this morning and he's taking her out tonight!"   
  
I stared at Soda for a few seconds. "I thought you were going with that Ashley girl?"  
  
He shook his head. "Na, she decided to take up with some super Soc who had the capability to constantly buy her stuff and take her out to nice restaurants every night." For a split second, I thought I saw Soda's eyes blaze with anger, tinted with humiliation. "This girl, Sandy, she seems real nice. She's our kind, you know, but better than that."  
  
We stood around for a while longer, until Johnny noticed the time. "Hey, c'mon Pony, we should get back."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. You guys comin'?"  
  
Steve shook his head and Two-Bit answered, "I'll probably come on up in an hour or so. Y'all don't have too much fun."  
  
True to his word, after the end of my next class, we saw Two-Bit racing through the hallways with a principal on his heels. The principal stopped and leaned against the wall, panting. "SLACKER!" he yelled after Two-Bit.  
  
History was my last class of the day. The class was mostly juniors and seniors, but there were a few of us sophomores in there, too. The teacher is pretty laid-back so we can get away with almost anything there. This one middle-class girl used to sit by me, but I somehow managed to scare her because after the first week, she had her desk moved over to the other side of the room. She still gives me these scared glances every now and again. My seat was right behind this big Soc football player, so I used his size as an opportunity to take a nap for most of the class. The homework is written on the chalkboard before class starts, so I just write down the chapter and the homework and do it all at home.   
  
Johnny was waiting for me after class. We ran into Dallas outside the bathrooms near the front entrance. For some reason, he looked like a wild cat stalking prey.. He saw us walk up and grinned. "Hey, Johnnycake, hey Pony," he greeted us.  
  
"Hey, Dal, you showed up to school today."  
  
Dally shook his head, "Na, I just got here. I overslept a little."  
  
"A little," I exclaimed incredulously.  
  
He gave me a look. "Yeah, kid. A little. Hey, check out what I swiped from the corner store this morning." He pulled out a small yellow and brown box. Across the top of the box it said "Suppository Laxatives."   
  
"Laxatives?" Johnny asked.  
  
"Aw, man, Dally, I don't want to hear about your health problems," I groaned, looking away.  
  
Dally just laughed at me. "Watch this," he demanded, grinning. He dropped the box on the floor and kicked it towards the girl's bathroom. A few seconds later, this good looking Soc walked out. Dallas waited for her to get a few feet away, then stepped over to the box of laxatives on the floor. Within a few gliding steps, Dally had caught up to the Soc girl. He tapped her on the shoulder and loudly said, "Excuse me miss, I think you dropped these laxatives on your way out from the bathroom." She turned beet red and gasped as she ran away.   
  
Me and Johnny were laughing along with Dally. I'm not much for trying to make other people feel stupid, but it was a pretty good joke.   
  
Dally tossed the laxatives in a nearby trash can and we all walked outside. He turned to look at us. "So, what plans do y'all have for today?"  
  
I looked at Johnny, then back at Dallas. "I've got track practice in 5 minutes. One of you tell Darry if you go by my house?"  
  
Dally nodded, lighting a cigarette and offering some to us. I turned them down, smoking doesn't do well for track. I'd probably just have one after I got home. Johnny took a cigarette and said that he was probably going to go to the arcade for a few hours. Dally slung his arm around Johnny's shoulders and told him he'd keep him company.  
  
I watched them walk off and felt lonely again. I almost wished I had taken the cigarette, it would have helped calm me down before heading for practice. I guess that's how everything in life is; You've got to choose between what you want and what's good for you. 


	4. Jailhouse Rock

[a/n] Apologies for the delays. It's been a combination of lack of effort and being busy with everything else. Full time working, part time school (nights), attempts at keeping the house clean (failed), family time (did I mention I'm having a baby?), court stuff (custody battle with my husband for his younger son).. So, finally an update. This is not to be confused with the previous chapter's track practice, this is supposed to be days or weeks later.  
  
I finally reached home after track practice and wearily stumbled up the front steps. Man, my legs were sore. I pushed through the front door and shoved it closed.  
  
"Ponyboy!"  
  
I groaned. "Sorry, Darry. I didn't mean to slam it. I'm just tired from practice"  
  
"Maybe your coach should make you do pushups, so your arms'll be too sore to slam the door again."  
  
I looked at him tiredly and turned towards the living room. I tossed my book bag on the couch and headed for the shower.  
  
10 minutes later, I was out and finishing getting dressed again. I was feeling a lot better, but that hot water sure had made me sleepy. "Hey, Darry," I yawned, "You seen Soda today?"  
  
Darry glanced up from the newspaper for a moment. "Yeah, I talked to him a while ago. He had just got off work and was going somewhere with Two-Bit. He should be home later. You needing something?"  
  
"Oh. No, I was just wonderin'." I really had just wanted to talk to Soda. You can't talk to Darry the same way. He's too serious and only listens to try to find a problem, and then tries to fix that. You can't hardly ever just have a conversation with Darry. He doesn't like to wonder about things, he just understands cold, hard facts.  
  
I grabbed my book bag and went to my room to work on my homework. Hours later, I finished and picked up Black Beauty. I had bought it a year or two ago for Soda's birthday. That was before I picked up on the fact that he just plain doesn't like to read.  
  
I must've fallen asleep reading, because when I opened my eyes, sunlight was streaming in through my window. I guess I was more tired than I thought. I strolled into the kitchen where Darry was making breakfast. "Mornin', Darry," I said, struggling to stop yawning. "Soda not up yet?"  
  
Darry's face was stone. "He ain't here. I would've called the cops last night, but I dropped off to sleep." He gave me a quick look-over. "You worried me pretty bad yourself, last night. I thought you had gone missing too, and then I found you asleep with that book in your hand."  
  
My eyes widened. "Oh. Well, maybe he stayed over at Two-Bit's? You know they don't have a phone."  
  
Darry gave me a scornful look. "I highly doubt he's at Two-Bit's. I gotta get ready for work. Make sure and do the dishes." He got up from his seat, put his plate and glass in the sink, and stormed out of the kitchen.  
  
I had barely finished swallowing my last bite when the phone rang.  
  
"Hey, answer that, Ponyboy!" Darry hollered from his bedroom.  
  
"I got it, I got it," I muttered under my breath. "Hello?.....Heya Sodapop! Where you been?"  
  
Darry was instantly at my side. "Let me talk to him," he ordered. I handed the receiver over. "Soda? Where are you?........You WHAT? Soda, if this is some kind of joke........ Dammit! I really don't have the patience right now......Alright, look, I'll be there in 20 minutes." He slammed the receiver down and turned to look at me. "Soda's in jail."  
  
"What?" Soda in jail?  
  
"You heard me. I've gotta go pick him up. I'm gonna be late to work, but there's nothing I can do about that. It's not like they've got phones on- site."  
  
"Why's he in jail?"  
  
"Look, we'll discuss it when I get back. Do the dishes."  
  
It wasn't too much longer before I heard the rumble of our Ford's engine as Darry pulled up in the driveway. I pulled aside the curtains in the living room to watch them. Darry was talking a mile a minute, and Soda was trying his hardest to keep from bursting out laughing at him. They got out of the truck and started walking towards the front door. I watched Soda slung his arm around Darry's neck. He finally reached his breaking point – He was laughing his head off at Darry, and Darry was starting to go from looking like an angry bear to a little kid whose mom slapped his hand away when he tried to swipe a cookie before dinner. Soda was a lot braver than me. There's nothing you could do to get me to laugh at Darry when he starts off that angry.  
  
Soda ran in the front door and kicked his shoes off. "Ponyboy!!!" he picked me up and swung me around.  
  
"Hey, Soda! So how'd you get in jail?"  
  
"Well, you see..." he started.  
  
Darry broke in. "Two-Bit and our genius brother here decided it was a great idea to go walking on their hands in the middle of downtown! Apparently they scared a bunch of old ladies and were picked up for disturbing the peace." He gave Soda a withering glance.  
  
Soda grinned at me. "Two-Bit kept trying to look up these good-lookin' girls' skirts. I've never heard broads scream so loud."  
  
Darry rolled his eyes. "You cost us 80 bucks, you realize that kid? Not to mention the time off work I had to take just to pick you up."  
  
Soda slung his arm around my shoulders. "Aw, c'mon, Darry, you could have had Pony drop you off at work and he could have picked me up."  
  
"First of all, not a chance. He's only 14. Second of all, not a chance. I'm your guardian. I'm the only one that could get you out. Now, I've got to get to work and kiss up to my foreman before I lose my job and then we're really screwed. And then.."  
  
Soda waved him away. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks for getting me out. Go to work. You've got to go kiss up to your foreman before you lose your job and then we're really screwed."  
  
Darry finally cracked a grin. "Look, just stay out of trouble, ok? I don't need to lose you two."  
  
Comments? I know, the ending was a little weak, but... meh. 


	5. I think I'm gonna be sick

Darry had just gotten out of the shower after working all day. He plopped down lengthwise on the couch and closed his eyes.   
  
"Hey, Pony, what are you doing?"  
  
"Finishing up some homework, why?"  
  
"You mind taking out the trash?"  
  
Long pause. "Yeah, I guess.."  
  
"Thanks, buddy," Darry mumbled, drifting off to sleep.  
  
I closed my history book and dragged myself to the garage. 5 bags of trash. I guess we hadn't taken it out in a while. I tried to pick up one in each hand like I had seen Soda do last time it was his turn to take out trash. I couldn't even get the bags off the ground. I had to grasp both hands around the knot at the top of one bag and hefted it over my right shoulder. "If I pull a muscle, Darry owes me.." I mumbled. I staggered out the side door and dumped the garbage bag on the curb. 4 trips more and I was finished.  
  
Rubbing my sore arms, I walked around to the front of the house and smoked a cigarette while watching the sunset. It was one of the better ones I had seen lately. The way the light hit all the clouds made the sky glow.   
  
I finished my cigarette and rubbed out the butt on the porch step. I came back inside the house expecting to find Darry passed out on the couch. Instead, Darry was half-lying on the couch, half-twisted around to talk to Soda, who had just come into the living room from the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, Darry, have you ever started to make pancakes, then decided you really didn't want pancakes and then just started drinking the batter to finish it off?"  
  
Darry just stared at him in disgust for a minute before falling back on the couch and throwing an arm over his eyes. "No. Absolutely not."  
  
Soda rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, uh, me neither. Boy, that sure would be weird." I guess he sensed that I was standing behind him, because he turned and grinned at me, a thick blue paste covering the lower half of his face. "I think this might stain.." he laughed, heading to the bathroom to wash it off.  
  
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sorry its short, just sudden inspiration a la www.machall.com #208 


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